The 40 best Xbox Game Pass games: Essential games to download first

The best games on Xbox Game Pass — (Image credit: Microsoft | Xbox)

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The best Xbox Game Pass games

Netflix changed film and TV forever. Xbox Game Pass has done much the same for gaming.

With hundreds of games available for one monthly subscription, Microsoft's service is arguably the best deal in entertainment. The only problem for subscribers? Figuring out what to play first. Between massive RPGs, indie gems, multiplayer favourites and all-time Xbox classics, it's easy to spend longer browsing than actually gaming.

It is admittedly, however, a strange time to be an Xbox fan, and that’s in part down to the Game Pass concept itself. Microsoft bet the house on its subscription service pulling in gamers looking for a value proposition, and hoovered up studios to support that goal and bolster the library with exclusive titles. And though the games are there — there are literally hundreds on Game Pass, at least on its top ‘Ultimate’ tier — the profits seemingly haven’t been. Xbox is undergoing a massive restructuring program that’s seen it let go of thousands of staff members, and the jettisoning of entire studios.

The best Xbox Game Pass games

1. Absolum

Modern side-scrolling beat 'em ups are enjoying a renaissance, and Absolum is among the finest examples. Mixing beautifully animated hand-drawn visuals (remember the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon? This is for you) with roguelike progression, every run unlocks new abilities, weapons and tactics. It captures the pick-up-and-play fun of arcade classics while giving you plenty of reasons to jump back in for another run.

Best for: Players who love classic arcade action with plenty of replay value.

2. Assassin's Creed Origins

Origins didn't just move Assassin's Creed to Ancient Egypt, it reinvented the franchise as a full-blown RPG series. Sure, that’s been for better and for worse in recent years, but Origins remains a series high point. That’s largely down to its setting: vast deserts, bustling settlements and towering pyramids provide one of Ubisoft's most beautiful open worlds, while Bayek's heartfelt story gives the series one of its strongest protagonists. It's an adventure that still feels fresh years after release, and arguably hasn’t been bettered by the Creed RPGs that followed.

Best for: Fans of huge open worlds, history and exploration.

3. Avowed

Obsidian has spent decades making brilliant RPGs, and Avowed continues that tradition. Set in the fantasy world of Eora, it combines surprisingly-meaty first-person combat, meaningful dialogue choices and richly written companions. Every decision feels important, while magical abilities encourage plenty of experimentation throughout your journey. Eora is really well realised too — more colourful and densely packed than Skyrim, or even Obsidian’s own darling, Fallout New Vegas.

Best for: RPG fans who like shaping their own adventure.

4. Batman: Arkham Knight

Rocksteady's Batman trilogy reached an explosive conclusion with Arkham Knight. The free-flow combat system remains one of gaming's best, stealth encounters reward careful planning and Gotham has never looked better. Ignore the criticism surrounding the Batmobile — this is still one of the greatest superhero games ever made, and I’d argue the best ever iteration of the Batverse in any medium. Come at me, Nolan-heads

Best for: Anyone who's ever wanted to be Batman. Which is all of us, right?

5. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

One of the biggest breakout surprises of recent years, Expedition 33 blends turn-based combat with perfectly timed real-time actions to create something genuinely fresh in the JRPG world. We say JRPG, but JRPG inspired would be more accurate, as it’s actually been made by a French studio (Sandfall Interactive), enamoured with the Final Fantasy series. Combined with stunning art direction, superb performances and an emotional story, it's the sort of RPG that stays with you long after the credits roll.

Best for: Players who value unforgettable storytelling alongside brilliant combat.

6. Control

Imagine The X-Files directed by Christopher Nolan, then turn it into an action game. That's Control. Remedy's supernatural thriller fills every corridor of the Federal Bureau of Control with mystery, while telekinetic powers make every firefight surreally chaotic. Few games are stranger, or more entertaining. With a sequel on the way, it’s a good time to dive in, too.

Best for: Fans of weird sci-fi and spectacular supernatural action.

7. Cyberpunk 2077

Forget its rocky launch. After years of updates, Cyberpunk 2077 has become one of the finest RPGs on modern consoles. Night City is packed with memorable characters, side stories and incredible world-building, while the combat allows you to become anything from a stealthy hacker to an unstoppable cybernetic powerhouse. It’s an all-timer, and shouldn’t be missed.

Best for: William Gibson fans who love immersive role-playing games.

8. Death Stranding Director's Cut

No game divides opinion quite like Death Stranding. Until the naysayers actually play it, at least. Yes, you’re a glorified postman, but beneath that surface lies a thoughtful, strangely moving adventure about rebuilding society after catastrophe. It's beautiful, at times relaxing, occasionally bizarre and unlike anything else on Xbox Game Pass. Hideo Kojima at his weird best.

Best for: Players looking for something completely different.

9. Deathloop

Groundhog Day with shotguns, Arkane's ingenious shooter traps two assassins inside an endlessly repeating day, encouraging players to learn, experiment and gradually unravel the perfect murder. Slick gunplay, imaginative level design and plenty of dark humour keep every loop feeling rewarding, even when your plans inevitably go spectacularly wrong. Deathloop has an incredible sense of style too, feeling like one of those sexy James Bond opening credit sequences, thanks to its 60s inspired style.

Best for: Shooter fans who enjoy experimentation over brute force.

10. Diablo IV

Diablo IV understands one thing better than almost any other game: the thrill of finding better loot. Every dungeon promises another legendary weapon or game-changing upgrade, while seasonal content gives veterans endless reasons to return. It's dangerously addictive whether you're playing solo or with friends online. If you’re an old-school ARPG fan, the Diablo II remaster is also on Game Pass.

Best for: Players who love chasing increasingly powerful gear.

11. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

Disco Elysium swaps swords and gunfights for conversations, detective work and one of the sharpest scripts ever written for a role-playing video game. As an amnesiac detective investigating a murder in a decaying coastal city, every decision shapes both the case and your deeply flawed protagonist. Equal parts hilarious, philosophical and heartbreaking, it's a game that trusts players to think, question and role-play in ways few others dare. The soundtrack by British alt-rockers Sea Power is absolutely breath-taking, too.

Best for: People ready to have an argument with a necktie over the malaise of later-day capitalism.

12. Dishonored 2

Stealth games rarely offer as much freedom as Dishonored 2. You can ghost through entire levels without harming anyone, unleash supernatural chaos or invent your own creative solutions. Combined with exceptional world-building and memorable missions, it's still one of Arkane's greatest achievements.

Best for: Players who enjoy tackling challenges their own way.

13. Doom: The Dark Ages

The Doom Slayer swaps Mars for medieval battlefields, but the core appeal remains gloriously simple: move fast, hit hard and leave absolutely nothing standing. Brutal melee combat, enormous weapons and spectacular boss fights make this one of the most satisfying shooters on Game Pass. Don’t forget that basically every other Doom game ever is on Game Pass too, and they’re almost all uniformly excellent — we’re just going for the newest, shiniest one here.

Best for: Anyone who likes their shooters loud, fast and gory.

14. Fable II

Lionhead's fantasy RPG remains one of Xbox's most beloved exclusives. Its wonderfully British sense of humour, memorable moral choices and charming fantasy world still hold up remarkably well. While newer RPGs may be bigger, few are quite as effortlessly likeable as this Xbox 360 classic. A good one to dip into ahead of the franchise’s big budget revamp, landing in 2027.

Best for: Players nostalgic for a quaintly British sense of humour, and the long-gone charm of Lionhead’s games.

15. Fallout 4

You’ve seen the show, now play one of the games that inspired it. Bethesda's post-apocalyptic Boston is packed with stories waiting to be discovered. Whether you're building settlements, hunting legendary monsters or simply wandering into another strange side quest, Fallout 4 rewards curiosity better than almost any other open-world game. You can easily lose hundreds of hours here, and Game Pass has the rest of the modern entries in the franchise, too, if one apocalyptic fix isn’t enough for you.

Best for: Explorers who like a side helping of dark humour.

16. Forza Horizon 6

No racing series understands pure fun quite like Forza Horizon. Playground Games has refined its open-world formula once again, delivering spectacular visuals as it takes us to its recreation of Japan, with hundreds of cars and enough events to keep petrolheads busy for months. It's approachable for beginners while still rewarding dedicated driving enthusiasts.

Best for: Anyone who loves driving games without the seriousness of simulators.

17. Gears 5 Game of the Year Edition

The Gears series has always excelled at blockbuster action, and Gears 5 expands the formula without losing its identity. Crunchy cover-based shooting, spectacular set pieces and excellent co-op make this one of the strongest entries in Microsoft's longest-running franchises. There’s still no better gun in gaming than the chainsaw-equipped Lancer, too.

Best for: Players looking for a cinematic co-op shooter in the vein of a muscle-bound 80s action film.

18. Hades II

Following one of gaming's greatest roguelikes was never going to be easy, but Supergiant has somehow pulled it off. Hades II delivers lightning-fast combat, gorgeous artwork and brilliantly written characters, ensuring that every defeat simply becomes another excuse for one more addictive run.

Best for: Players who love to master combat systems.

19. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Six legendary Halo campaigns. Iconic multiplayer. Decades of Xbox history. The Master Chief Collection isn't just one of the most generously stuffed titles on Game Pass, it's essential gaming homework for any FPS fan. Whether you're revisiting old favourites or experiencing Halo for the first time, this collection remains unmatched, a love letter to one of the most important series in all of gaming.

Best for: FPS fans wanting to experience some timeless shooting action.

20. Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush arrived with almost no warning before immediately becoming one of Xbox's best exclusives. A sonic symphony tied to a third person action game, every attack lands to the beat of its infectious soundtrack, for an experience that feels like starring in an interactive music video. Super stylish and guaranteed to get a foot tapping.

Best for: Music lovers who appreciate inventive action games.

21. Hogwarts Legacy

Yeah, JK Rowling has tarnished Potter’s actual legacy a bit, but let’s not take that out on the truly sublime Hogwarts Legacy, which fully delivers on the ‘Yer a wizard [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]’ fantasy. Whether you're a lifelong Harry Potter fan or simply love a good fantasy RPG, Hogwarts Legacy is a magical way to lose dozens of hours. Exploring Hogwarts itself is the real highlight, with secret passages, moving staircases and hidden rooms capturing the wonder of the books better than any previous game.

Best for: Anyone who's ever wanted to receive their Hogwarts letter.

22. Hollow Knight

Don't let its charming art style fool you, Hollow Knight is one of the toughest games on Game Pass. Team Cherry's haunting underground kingdom rewards patience, precision and curiosity, with every shortcut, boss victory and hidden area feeling genuinely earned. It's a modern Metroidvania masterpiece, and we’d argue better than its successor Silksong, which just veers too far into brutal territory to be anything other than frustrating.

Best for: Players who enjoy difficult games that reward perseverance. Goth Entomologists.

23. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has no right being as good as it is. MachineGames somehow pulled off the impossible by creating an Indiana Jones game that genuinely feels like one of the classic films. In fact, it’s the best bit of Indy adventuring we’ve had since 1989’s The Last Crusade. Blending puzzle-solving, fist fights, exploration and globe-trotting adventure, The Great Circle perfectly captures the wit, charm and excitement of Spielberg's iconic hero, with actor Troy Baker totally capturing the essence of Harrison Ford’s character.

Best for: Those who think Indiana Jones DOESN’T belong in a museum.

24. Inside

Some games don't need pages of dialogue to leave an impression. Inside tells an unforgettable story almost entirely through atmosphere, clever environmental puzzles and unsettling imagery, as you guide a lone boy through an unnerving, Lynchian nightmare world. It's only a few hours long, but you'll probably spend far longer thinking about its unforgettable ending once the credits roll.

Best for: Players looking for a short game with a lasting impact.

25. It Takes Two

Few games celebrate cooperative play as brilliantly as It Takes Two, which makes having a co-player a requirement. Every level introduces fresh mechanics, ensuring the experience never becomes repetitive, while its heartfelt story about repairing a fractured relationship gives the adventure surprising emotional weight. A real mastery of the art of multiplayer — and a test of your real-world friendships and communication skills.

Best for: Couples, friends or family members looking for the ultimate co-op game.

26. Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Three incredible sci-fi RPGs, dozens of unforgettable characters and hundreds of decisions that shape the fate of an entire galaxy. The best Star Trek game that never was. The Legendary Edition packages one of gaming's greatest trilogies — seeing you recruit a rag tag crew of spacefarers and aliens to take on an ancient intergalactic enemy force — into a beautifully remastered collection that's every bit as compelling today as it was when Commander Shepard first sat at the thrusters of the Normandy. Bioware at its all-time best.

Best for: Sci-fi fans who love deep storytelling and memorable companions.

27. Minecraft

The biggest game in the world earned that title for good reason. Minecraft can be whatever you want it to be: a survival adventure, a creative sandbox, a multiplayer playground or a peaceful escape. Whether you're building castles or exploring underground caverns, there's always another project waiting. Just leave those ‘chicken jockey!’ screams out of my cinema, please.

Best for: Creative players who enjoy making their own adventures.

28. No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky has completed one of gaming's greatest redemption stories. Years of free updates have transformed Hello Games' ambitious space exploration title into a colossal universe packed with near-infinite planets to discover, ships to customise and alien worlds to colonise. It's endlessly compelling and constantly surprising. If you only played it at its shaky launch period, dive back in, as it now fully delivers on that ‘explore the stars’ promise it first offered.

Best for: Explorers who want near-limitless freedom.

29. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Moon Studios followed one masterpiece with another. Ori and the Will of the Wisps combines razor-sharp platforming, satisfying combat and breathtaking visuals into a fairytale-like adventure that's as emotionally moving as it is technically impressive. Every leap, dash and wall jump feels wonderfully responsive from beginning to end — think of this as a more forgiving alternative to Hollow Knight.

Best for: Players who appreciate beautiful platformers with emotional stories.

30. Pentiment

Obsidian proves it doesn't need dragons or epic battles to create a brilliant RPG. Set in 16th-century Bavaria, Pentiment casts you as artist Andreas Maler as a series of murders unravels the quiet town of Tassing. Inspired by illuminated manuscripts and medieval woodcuts, its striking art style is matched by thoughtful writing, memorable characters and decisions whose consequences echo across decades. It's a slow-burn mystery that rewards patience with one of the most intelligent stories on Game Pass.

Best for: Players who enjoy historical mysteries, outstanding writing and choices that genuinely matter.

31. Prey

Arkane's overlooked masterpiece deserves far more attention than it originally received. Set aboard a space station overrun by shape-shifting aliens, Prey gives players extraordinary freedom to tackle problems however they choose. Every encounter rewards creativity, making it one of the smartest immersive sims ever made.

Best for: Players who like experimenting instead of following one solution. NOT FOR: Paranoid players who jumpscare at an out-of-place coffee mug.

32. Psychonauts 2

Double Fine's long-awaited sequel proved the studio’s madcap creativity was still flowing like a torrent, with a Burton-esque psychedelic platforming adventure. Jumping into people's minds allows every level to explore wildly different visual ideas, while the writing balances laugh-out-loud humour with surprisingly thoughtful explorations of mental health, family and identity.

Best for: Fans of quirky platformers and quirky animations — this one pulls from the best of them.

33. Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village feels like Capcom's greatest hits album. Gothic horror, frantic action, terrifying monsters and brilliantly designed locations all combine into one unforgettable adventure. Whether you're fleeing Lady Dimitrescu's castle or surviving its later gory horrors, Village constantly keeps players guessing — and screaming.

Best for: Horror fans who enjoy blockbuster thrills rather than pure scares.

34. Sea of Thieves

No multiplayer game creates stories quite like Sea of Thieves. Primed for online play, you’ll need to pull together a gang of mates to help you man a pirate ship with painstaking detail, despite the cartoon visuals. Yes, you’ll need to drop the anchor. Yes you’ll need to unfurl the sails. Yes, you’ll even need to grab a bucket and bail out water if the ship springs a leak. It’s the ultimate pirate fantasy simulator, without being po-faced about it — one minute you'll be peacefully digging for treasure, the next you're battling skeleton ships while another pirate crew steals your loot. Every voyage becomes unpredictable, hilarious and completely unique, especially when played with friends over voice chat.

Best for: Groups looking to create memorable multiplayer moments together.

35. Star Wars Outlaws

Unfairly maligned on release, this is one of the best Star Wars games of recent times. Rather than making you another Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws lets you experience life in the galaxy's criminal underworld. Smuggling cargo, outsmarting rival syndicates and exploring beautifully built planets makes this giant open world game one of the best Star Wars adventures in years, and much better than the sum of its parts. Kay Vess is a likeable new hero, too, despite the naysayers.

Best for: Star Wars fans looking for something beyond lightsabers.

36. Stardew Valley

What’s left to be said about Stardew Valley, the cosy game to end all cosy games? Grow crops, make friends and slowly transform an overgrown farm into your own peaceful paradise. It's chill gaming at its absolute finest and remains dangerously easy to lose entire weekends to.

Best for: Anyone looking to unwind after a stressful day.

37. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

If you've somehow never played Skyrim, firstly…what rock have you been living under? And secondly, Game Pass gives you the perfect excuse to fix that. Bethesda's fantasy epic remains astonishingly easy to disappear into, with dragons to slay, guilds to join and endless caves waiting to be explored. A truly gigantic game to get lost in, there’s a reason that fifteen years after its original release it’s still sucking players back into its goblin-filled icy tundras.

Best for: Players wanting one of gaming's greatest open-world RPGs.

38. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Many RPGs promise meaningful storytelling, but The Witcher 3 actually delivers it. Even seemingly minor side quests often become unforgettable tales, while Geralt remains one of gaming's greatest protagonists. Add two exceptional expansions, and you've got hundreds of hours of world-class fantasy waiting to be experienced.

Best for: Fans of darker fantasy ready to sink serious time into an unforgettable adventure.

39. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4

These remakes prove some games never lose their magic. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 perfectly recreates the addictive "one more run" feeling that made the originals legendary, while modern visuals and smoother controls make them feel better than ever before. They’ll make you feel like anyone can pull off a Superman… until you go and try it in the real world and break an ankle, of course.

Best for: Anyone craving nostalgia, high score chasing and a punk-rock soundtrack.

40. Tunic

Tunic looks adorable, but appearances can be deceptive. Beneath its colourful world lies an ingenious adventure packed with hidden mechanics, cryptic puzzles and surprisingly demanding combat. Discovering how its mysterious in-game instruction manual works is one of the most satisfying moments you'll experience in any modern game. If Zelda and Dark Souls had a love child, and put it in a furry costume, Tunic is what you’d get.

Best for: Curious players who love uncovering secrets without being guided.

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Gerald Lynch is the Editor-in-Chief of Shortlist, keeping careful watch over the site's editorial output and social channels. He's happiest in the front row of a gig for a band you've never heard of, watching 70mm cinema re-runs of classic sci-fi flicks, or propping up a bar with an old fashioned in one hand and a Game Boy in the other.